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Words Kanji Guides About

不ね寝ず番ばん

also: ふしんばん

ね

ず

ば

ん

Meanings

1

noun

sleepless vigil; night watch

Refers to staying awake all night to keep watch, often in a military, security, or traditional context. Can also imply general vigilance.

兵へい士したちは不ね寝ず番ばんに立たった。
The soldiers stood a sleepless vigil.
不ね寝ず番ばんを命めいじられた。
I was ordered to keep night watch.

Written forms

不寝番
- ねずばん
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading ねずばん is the most common.
- ふしんばん
  Alternate reading, less common. May be encountered in older or formal contexts.
ふしんばん

Kanji

不negative, non-, bad
寝lie down, sleep, rest
番turn, number in a series

Similar words

夜や警けい
夜警 is a more general term for night watch or night patrol, while 不寝番 emphasizes staying awake without sleep.
寝ねずの番ばん
寝ずの番 is a more colloquial phrase with the same meaning, literally 'watch without sleeping'.

Etymology

Compound of 不寝 (fushin/nezu, 'sleeplessness') and 番 (ban, 'watch'). The reading ねず is a native Japanese word for sleeplessness, while ふしん is a Sino-Japanese reading. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.